ENGLISH ABSTRACT: POLICY SYSTEM ANALYSIS OF MILITARY TRAINING IN THE SOUTH
AFRICAN NATIONAL DEFENCE FORCE
Borders in a global economy market exist only to determine the sovereignty of
nations. Modern military interventions on the other hand are caught up in a struggle
to stabilise international focal points. In the midst of this struggle, is the South
Africa National Defence Force, in a process of change on the way to a supportive
role to the African Renaissance and an upliftment mandate of the South African
society. The South African government is caught in a battle against poverty,
illiteracy and unemployment of an abundance of general workers, opposing a
shortage of speciality skills measured against the National Qualifications
Framework. The National Defence Force in contrast, attempts to create a
meaningful military development training policy for the backbone of the National
Defence Force, the non-commissioned officer. This military development training
policy should not only adhere to economic restrictions of the Defence Budget, but
should also acknowledge the potential and skills of this specific group.
A literature survey as well as an empirical study of the non-commissioned officer's
military development training policy in respect of the different arms of service in the
National Defence Force shows that up to 18% of the personnel budget is spent on
training. In the midst of this tendency, military development training does not keep
up with changing training policy systems in South Africa, and that its effectiveness
should therefore be improved in an integrated military developmental training
system. The study has found that there are gaps in the military developmental
training policy where learners in the South African Army have to meet far more
course requirements than their peers in other Arms of the Service. Furthermore, the
standard of curricula of the different training courses is not the same. Both these
problems could be solved by way of one responsible, joint training department in the
National Defence Force.In an emotional protection of a defence force culture, the National Defence Force
creates a training budget monster, where seven different training units' supply the
same training. According to the different developmental training curriculums, with
small exceptions of arms of service specific training, developmental training could
easily be presented in one or two separate National Defence Force Units. This idea
will support the concept of one force and joint operations. In addition this idea will
ensure that the National Defence Force exists within a National Defence Force
culture followed by an arm of service culture that is supported by a functional
culture.